


Ahead of the Pack

by OsirisApollo



Series: Black Sheep [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean Winchester, Alpha John Winchester, Alpha Sam, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Cultural Differences, Fluff, Fox Charlie, Good Parent John Winchester, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mates, Mating Bond, Meet the Family, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Castiel, Omega Castiel/Alpha Dean Winchester, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sheep Castiel (Supernatural), Shifter Castiel, Shifter Charlie, Shifter Dean, Shifter Sam, Wolf Dean, Wolf John, Wolf Sam Winchester, Worldbuilding, now contains art!!, shifter John
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-10 18:57:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12918153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OsirisApollo/pseuds/OsirisApollo
Summary: Now that they are mated, it's time to introduce Castiel to Dean's pack. They start with Sam, of course.





	1. First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Ok dudes, I know you've been waiting a loooong time for this part. Over a month. Maybe you were beginning to doubt it was coming, but here it is!  
> I've decided to split this part into 4 chapters. I haven't been writing much (and I knew this part still had a lot left to go) so, splitting it into chapters seemed like the right thing to do.  
> Hopefully I'll be able to update it every couple of weeks until we get through the introductions with the pack. And the couple of other surprises I have in store for you :D  
> I'll add tags and people and ratings as I go. This part will be explicit before the end... just a warning.
> 
> Do you know what's the best thing ever? My beta [Nadiahart](http://archiveofourown.org/users/NadiaHart/pseuds/NadiaHart) and my editor [MaskofCognito.](http://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskofCognito/pseuds/MaskofCognito) Without them, none of this would be possible. They are the sunshine on my face and the skip in my step. I love them more than anything, and I thought you all should know it!
> 
> Also, If you haven't read the other parts of this series, you might get a little lost. Start with [Black Sheep](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11722311). It's rated explicit, so don't be alarmed!

Waking up in Dean’s arms was unfamiliar, but Castiel knew he would never want to wake any other way again. This was the first day of the rest of his life, and he honestly couldn’t remember a day he’d been so happy to greet.

He wasn’t in denial about the trials he was likely to face, but he didn’t find himself intimidated at the thought of meeting Dean’s pack. He knew that no matter what happened, Dean would be by his side through it all. The idea of just having someone to stand with him made the whole thing seem much less daunting.

Everything was different, and it was evident the second he was awake enough to realize where he was. It was strange waking to the quiet serenity of Dean’s home — or as Dean would say, their home. That thought only gave Castiel another dose of happiness. This wonderful place was his home now, too.

It was so peaceful living in a home of your own.

At the farmhouse, Castiel would have been woken multiple times during the night. The sounds of the other ewes tossing and turning in their beds would have disrupted his sleep. Someone would leave their bed to use the restroom, or would have risen earlier than anyone else and excused themselves from the room. No matter how quiet they had attempted to be, it wouldn’t matter. The walls were too thin, and the floorboards too loose. He would have woken to the creaking springs of the beds, or footsteps in the hallway. 

In this home, he hadn’t been awakened by anything but his own internal clock letting him know he’d slept enough. It was as if he was beginning a new life, altogether. The thought didn’t scare him at all, although he felt it probably should have. It seemed like a logical thing to fear, but lying in this large comfortable bed surrounded in the sight and smell of Dean he couldn’t find it in himself to be afraid. The scents of Dean’s home were too warm and welcoming.

Castiel couldn’t help but breathe deep the aroma of his lover that filled the room.

Dean smelled like freedom to Castiel. He was a gentle breeze, fresh fallen rain, and pine. He’d always loved the scent of the wolf, even with the underlying threat of predator. He loved that this house smelled like Dean. He loved that he was completely surrounded in the musk of his lover.

That brought to mind the thorough scent marking Dean had done the day before, and Castiel couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. Not only was the musk of Dean all around him, but Castiel himself smelled like the wolf.

As irritating as the wolf’s affinity for scent marking had been while they were still trying to hide their relationship, he couldn’t help but notice how happy it made him to carry Dean’s scent now.

Castiel glanced in the direction he knew the bathroom to be in. He didn’t have to wash the aroma of his mate off anymore, but it was still a relief to know that he would no longer have to do it in the stream at the end of the pasture. He could bathe standing in a shower in his home, instead of scrubbing the scent of his lover off in the freezing water outside.

He couldn’t help but feel grateful.

Movement from the man next to him snapped Castiel’s attention back to the present, and he was drawn to watching as Dean’s eyelids fluttered open. The wolf squinted at him for a moment before his face split into a smile.

“Good morning, Cas.” Dean’s voice was a little rougher than usual, a side-effect of disuse and sleep.

“Good morning, Dean.” Castiel didn’t even attempt to hide his own smile. He was sure it spoke volumes of his happiness with his current situation. The sheep was content to lay grinning at his mate, but Dean groaned and buried his head in Castiel’s shoulder.

“Why are you awake so early?” He complained, barely audible.

Castiel’s only response was to curl himself tighter to his mate, which brought forth a happy sound he hoped he’d get to hear more often.

He knew sleep was no longer an option for him, but he didn’t really see a reason to cut Dean’s short. He had plenty to think about, anyway.

He couldn’t help but wonder what his family would think when they realized he was gone. It was hard to believe they would understand anything about his decision. They had never understood anything else about him, after all.

Except Anna, of course. She at least would understand his need to get away, but even she wouldn’t understand his choice to take one mate for the rest of his life.

Sheep didn’t have anything like mates. The only time the ewes even spent with the rams was during their heats, and most times the rams didn’t want to have anything to do with them afterward. 

That wasn’t to say there weren’t a few exceptions. Ion and Rachel had developed a connection that few of their species did. When it was time for breeding, Ion never tried to breed any of the other ewes, and everyone knew better than to ask Rachel if she wanted to be bred by any of the other rams. Mother had always treated their fondness for each other with a hearty amount of disdain, but had found it nearly impossible to force them to breed the way they were supposed to.

They were still separated like the rest, though. They would never have a home for just the two of them. They would never have a chance raise their lambs themselves. It just wasn’t the way that things were done.

Castiel had always been saddened at the thought that the love they held for each other would never be taken seriously.

Now Castiel would be able to do all of those things.

He had learned in his research that wolves raised their pups as a family. The omega and the alpha were never separated, and the pups were raised within their home. It was a shock, to be sure, but it had warmed his heart in a way he could not define. It wasn’t the way things were done in the pasture, but it was certainly the way he would want things to be if he and Dean ever decided to breed.

There had also been information about the community. The wolves called it a pack. He’d known that wolves were pack animals, but he’d never truly understood what that meant. Once again he’d been surprised at what he’d found, and hope blossomed in his chest that one day he’d be accepted into the pack. He knew that his bond with Dean still hadn’t formed fully, and even if it did the pack didn’t have to accept him. But if they chose to, he now knew all the benefits he would gain from being a part of such a community.

The pack worked together at all times. They protected each other, helped each other if it was needed. They would band together in times of need or trouble. No one got left behind. No one ever had to fend for themselves. And if the pack accepted him, no one would ever be able to take him away unless he wanted to leave.

It sounded exactly like the kind of family that Castiel wanted to be a part of, and he couldn’t help but wonder how he’d gotten so lucky. He hadn’t known any of this when he’d chosen to mate with Dean, and the more he found out about what his new life with the wolf would be like, the more excited he became at the prospect.

He’d fallen in love with Dean and had promised himself to the wolf for the rest of his life, but he’d had no idea how much more he’d be gaining.

Of course, all good things come at a price, and there had been a darker side that Castiel couldn’t help but be worried about.

Reading about omegas and how they were expected to act had been terrifying. He wasn’t anything like them, and he couldn’t help but worry Dean would eventually become dissatisfied with having a free-spirited sheep for a mate. He would never be able to bow to his mate’s will if their opinions differed. He had spent his whole life training his submissive side out and had no desire to go back to it. He could only hope that Dean truly knew what he was getting into when he’d chosen Castiel as his mate.

His stomach soured a bit at his thoughts, and he was grateful when his mate chose that moment to wake again.

“Cas, are you seriously still up?” Dean’s voice was a bit petulant, and it brought a smile to the sheep’s face.

“Yes. It’s well passed time to get out of bed.”

Dean grumbled something mostly incoherent as he cuddled closer to Castiel, the chilled tip of his nose running along the line of his neck until it was buried in the hair behind his ear. The deep rumble of a moan made the hairs on the sheep’s arms stand on end. “You smell delicious.”

Castiel pushed him away, before he could get any ideas about taking his cuddling any further. “I thought I was supposed to be meeting your family today?” 

The sheep watched his lover pout as he tried to force his body to calm.

“You can meet them later.” Dean said, but made no move to close the gap between them again.

“It’s already getting late.” Castiel told him, pointing out the shadows of mid morning.

Dean looked shocked. “Late? It’s barely morning!”

Castiel shook his head at Dean’s protestations. “I’m a farmer, Dean. I would have usually been up for hours by now.”

The wolf’s eyes widened and a look of fear crossed his face. “Please tell me you’re not a morning person.” His tone was pleading, but the corners of his lips tipped up, and Castiel knew he was only partly serious.

“Of course not.” Castiel stated as if it should be obvious. “But it’s practically daytime.”

Dean let out a tortured groan. “So, what you’re saying is: you’re going to be up ridiculously early,  _ and _ you’re going to be grumpy about it?”

Castiel tilted his head to the side as he decided how to answer that. “Yes.”

  
  


One of the things he’d read about the omega wolves he knew he could handle was that they were generally expected to take care of the home. Cooking and cleaning were chores that he’d had at the farmhouse, and although they had been shared with all of the other ewes, he knew it was something he would have no problem with. No; there were many things he’d read about that he feared he wouldn’t be able to live up to, but that wasn’t one of them.

So, while Dean cleaned himself up for the coming day, Castiel headed to the kitchen to make breakfast for them. It was already hours later than he normally had breakfast, and his stomach made itself known even as he opened Dean’s icebox to find something to make.

And he stopped dead in his tracks as he stared into the space.

Everything here was so different, and he knew it was going to take some getting used to; but getting a look inside the shiny appliance that held Dean’s food was so startlingly different, he didn’t really know how to react.

First of all, whatever this appliance was, it clearly wasn’t an icebox. Although it seemed to be used for the same thing. It was still filled with shelving and food, but it was completely different from what he was used to.

The interior was different. It looked like a showcase for the food as opposed to just a place to store it. The food was different also, and instead of the vegetable collection he was used to, he was greeted with meat. A lot of meat.

Castiel had told himself that although there were some parts of being Dean’s mate that would be hard, he could do this one thing. But looking at the tiny selection of vegetables and the large selection of meat, he was beginning to have doubts that he could.

What did wolves even eat for breakfast?

Castiel closed the door, leaning his head against it and taking a deep breath. He couldn’t fail at the first task he’d assigned himself. He could figure this out.

It wasn’t as if he couldn’t eat meat. The human aspect of his biology was an omnivore, after all. He could eat meat, but at the farm they had always had an abundance of vegetables, and very little extra money. They had never seen a need to invest in meat while they could live happily on what they could grow for themselves.

So, yes. Castiel could technically eat meat, but he hadn’t. And he had no idea how to prepare it as a meal. This task was going to be much more complicated than he’d anticipated.

He took a long steadying breath, and pulled the door open again.

Eggs! He knew how to cook eggs. He could make eggs for breakfast.

There was a drawer at the bottom of the space, and he could see some greens in it. He found some partially wilted spinach and a tomato that he could add to make a more complete meal. That would have to do for now. His stomach was becoming fairly adamant about getting sustenance.

He’d just pulled the pan of eggs off the stove when Dean came into the room.

“It smells great in here.” Dean said, grinning at Castiel. He moved to open one of the cabinets and pulled out some plates.

Castiel immediately moved to fill the plates with his meager offering. He avoided the wolf’s eyes as he dropped into a chair at the table.

“What’s this?” Dean asked, and when the sheep chanced a glance at him, he was poking at the vegetables on his plate with his fork.

“It’s a spinach and tomato salad. I was unsure of what I should make with the eggs.” Castiel managed a couple of bites of the eggs, but decided the salad was better and began to dig in.

“Um, bacon?” Dean said it like it was the obvious answer, mouth still filled with eggs.

Castiel avoided his mate’s eyes as he quietly admitted, “I don’t know how to make that.”

Dean’s eyes widened for a moment before realization seemed to hit.

“You’re a vegetarian, aren’t you?”

Castiel had never before been ashamed of the lack of meat in his diet, but he could feel his face heat under the wolf’s scrutiny. “Yes.”

“Well, shit. I guess that’s just one more way that I’ve failed. I didn’t even know I had these vegetables in the fridge. Sam probably forced me to take them. And if he hadn’t, you’d be starving.” Dean gestured toward Castiel’s plate where the sheep realized his salad was gone, but half of his eggs remained. Glancing over at Dean’s plate it was the complete opposite.

Dean seemed so disappointed, but his face brightened suddenly. “Are you done eating? I have an idea.”

To be honest, his stomach was actually a little upset, now. Instead of explaining that, he just pushed his plate away from himself.

“Come on.” Dean sent him an excited smile, and grabbed his arm, practically dragging him in the direction of the door. “I know where we can get you some vegetables until we can get to the store.”

 

Once out the door, Dean lead him to the den next door to his own. He knocked incessantly until the door was opened, and then pushed passed the man that opened it. 

Castiel was left on the doorstep staring up into the wide eyes of the man that owned the home.

“Hey Sammy, we’re going to steal some of your vegetables. We’ll get you some more after we get a chance to stop at the market.” Dean’s voice traveled back to them, but it didn’t take the man’s attention off of Castiel.

“Hello.” The sheep offered, unsure of what to say to the stranger that Dean was apparently stealing from.

Before the man could answer, Dean’s voice came again, from much closer.

“Hey! Let him into the house! I don’t want people talking before I even get the chance to introduce him around.”

A hand came up to grab the man’s shoulder, and he was pulled out of the doorway, revealing Dean behind him.

“Come on in, Cas.” Dean said, grinning and grabbing his arm to pull him into the space. Once he crossed the threshold, the door was closed behind him.

“I suppose that introductions are in order, here.” The grin on Dean’s face said he was enjoying himself, and Castiel knew that couldn’t mean anything good.

“Cas, this is my brother Sam.”

Castiel’s eyes snapped back to the man he certainly hadn’t had time to prepare himself to meet.

“Sammy, this is Castiel.”

Sam smiled gently, reaching a hand out to shake Castiel’s

“My mate.”

The smile froze on Sam’s face and his hand froze midair. Actually, the very air seemed to freeze at that proclamation. All Castiel could do was wait for the man’s reaction.

“Your mate.” Sam’s gaze swiveled to where Dean was standing to their side. The words came out as a statement, but there was a question in his eyes.

“Yep!” Dean grinned at his brother cheekily and reached out to wrap an arm around Castiel’s shoulders, nearly knocking him over as he was forcefully pulled to Dean’s side.

“Your mate.” Sam repeated, as if the words were having a hard time sinking in.

“That’s what I said.”

“How did this happen?” Sam was still as a statue, as if his brain was trying so hard to work through Dean’s words that he couldn’t use his motor functions.

Dean seemed a little exasperated as he turned his full attention to his brother. “Okay Sammy, when a man and… well, another man fall in love—”

“Shut up, Dean! You know what I mean.” The hand that Sam had been holding out to shake was abandoned in favor of running it through his hair. He looked a bit stressed at the turn of events. 

Castiel couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about the way that Dean had dropped the news on his brother, mostly because Dean had just implied that he’d fallen in love with Castiel, and there was a warm feeling of happiness coursing through him.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know that Dean loved him. The wolf would never have chosen to mate with him if he didn’t, but knowing that Dean must love him was an entirely different feeling to hearing him say it out loud.

“Don’t act so surprised. I told you about Cas.”

At this Sam’s attention swung back to Castiel, his eyes were wide with shock. “You’re the sheep.”

Castiel didn’t know how to respond, so he simply said, “Yes.”

Sam seemed to regain control of his motion then, and his hands flew out in an explosion that was aimed at his brother. “Oh my god! Dad is going to kill you!”

Dean’s face immediately fell into a deep frown, and he wrapped his arm tighter around Castiel. “Tone it down, Sammy. You’re freaking him out.”

“I’m sorry.” Sam apologized immediately, running a hand through his hair again and taking a deep, calming breath. 

Sam’s eyes raised to meet Castiel’s, then. “I’m sorry. This is not the first impression I want you to have of me. We’re family now.” 

Sam’s confusion and frustration suddenly cleared, and he turned his attention back to his brother. “Holy shit, dude! You got mated!”

The sunny smile that Castiel had grown accustomed to seeing on Dean’s face returned full force as he was swept into his brother’s arms in a bone crushing hug.

“I know, right?” Dean sounded just as excited as Sam.

Sam dropped his brother back onto his feet and turned to Castiel, his intent to give him the same treatment clear on his face, until Dean stepped between them.

“Uh, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” He said, looking back and forth between his brother and Castiel.

“The bond is still pretty new, and I seem to have a pretty short fuse when it comes to Cas touching other people. The thought of him smelling like you is kind of pissing me off already.” Dean admitted a little sheepishly.

Sam’s face was incredulous. “Dude, seriously? I’m your brother.”

“Yeah, well, you might act like a giant baby girl most of the time, but you’re still an alpha. And I don’t want you touching my mate.” The last of the sentence was said with a little bit of a growl behind it, and it caused a shiver down Castiel’s spine. 

Sam’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “So, I guess that part of the bonding process is real then.”

There was a moment of silence as Dean tried to calm himself and Sam tried to come to terms with his new knowledge. 

The silence made Castiel uncomfortable, and he couldn’t help adding, “It’s perfectly normal for Dean to feel this way while the bond is forming.” He hadn’t truly thought that comment through, and when Sam’s look of surprise turned his way, he felt his face heat.

“I did some research on wolf mating.” He admitted.

“You did research?” Sam asked the question in an odd tone that made Castiel feel as though he was being lead.

“Yes.”

“And I can assume that Dean is here stealing vegetables for you.”

“Yes.”

Sam turned back to Dean. “Your mate likes vegetables and research. This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Sam said with wonder in his eyes.

  
  


After Sam allowed Castiel to dig through his icebox— or refrigerator as Dean insisted he call it— for some fresh vegetables to hold him over until they could get to the market, the two brothers started planning Castiel’s introduction to the rest of the pack.

The general consensus seemed to be that the sheep should be introduced to key members individually before he was revealed to the pack. The next step was to decide who those key members were.

Dean seemed adamant that someone named Charlie should be the next on the list. He seemed to think he would never be forgiven if she thought he’d been hiding secrets from her.

Sam seemed to think it was a better idea to introduced to their father first. His argument was that their father was already going to be angry about Dean’s decision and that the faster they brought him into the loop, the better.

“Why will your father be displeased?”

“Just expectations. Your family will be disappointed because you were expected to breed with a ram, right? Well, my dad will be disappointed because I was expected to mate with a beautiful omega and raise a litter of pups.”

“Will he be upset that I am male? Or that I am a sheep?”

“I actually have no idea how he’ll feel about the male thing. Sammy and I have never gone after a male omega before.” Dean looked contemplative, as if the thought of his father taking issue with his mate being male hadn’t crossed his mind.

Meanwhile Castiel’s mind was running a million miles an hour. With the way that Dean had pursued him when they’d first met, he’d always assumed that his mate preferred the male form. But if what Dean was saying was true, he’d only been with women before Castiel. So, how had he ended up lucky enough to be mated to the beautiful wolf?

“He’ll likely be a bit more upset at the fact that you’re a sheep.” Sam told him, sending him a sympathetic look, and pulling him out of his own thoughts. “Dad’s always been pretty big on carrying on the family name.”

Sam didn’t state the real issue, but it was still clear. Their father would be most worried about Castiel’s ability to breed with his son. A fear that Castiel himself held. He had yet to discuss the idea of raising a family with Dean— they’d been a little busy since their mating— but everyone knew that interspecies breeding was difficult, if not impossible.

Dean looked rather uncomfortable with the subject, but brightened almost immediately. “Hey, speaking of the family name, do you think you’d want to take mine?”

“Because we’re wolf-married?” Castiel asked. The idea of taking Dean’s name sent a wave of happiness over him, but that didn’t mean he had to make it easy.

Dean just rolled his eyes. “Yes. Because we’re ‘wolf-married’.”

“Well, I will certainly consider it.”

“Cas!” Dean sounded exasperated, which probably meant that Castiel wasn’t hiding his joy at the prospect very well.

“Of course I will take your name, Dean.”


	2. The Pack Alpha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I forgot! Please check out this AMAZING art that [Vinnie-cha](http://vinnie-cha.tumblr.com/) made for this series!!  
> 

Sam won the debate on who they should introduce Castiel to first. Dean wasn't happy about it, but he'd made some really good points. John was going to be upset, and it would probably be a good idea to give him a couple of days to cool off. Those days could be spent introducing Castiel to some of the other important pack members— at least the ones that were important to Dean.

Sam had even offered to accompany them for support, but Dean was pretty sure it was only so Sam could be there to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Dean wasn't offended. He'd actually had a pretty hard time keeping his wolf in check when Sam had threatened to hug Castiel. He was worried about his reactions to his mate being around the pack alpha, himself.

Dean really didn't know what to expect when John met Castiel. His father had never been particularly fond of Dean in his younger days when he'd been a bit more promiscuous. John had mostly just rolled his eyes about it, but the last couple of years he'd taken to telling Dean it was time to settle down. Well, Dean had given him what he wanted, but he wasn't naive enough to believe John would be happy about the choice.

Not that it truly mattered to Dean what John thought about their relationship, but he could certainly make life in the forest harder for them.

Even though John was their father, it was still required that they make an appointment to speak with him, unless they wanted to wait until after John's duties as pack alpha were over for the night. Dean was hoping to have Castiel accepted into the pack, so their talk was considered pack business. He didn't want anyone to think he'd sidestepped proper protocol and earned favor just by being the alpha's son. It was better to face him in an official capacity.

Sam went to make the appointment while Dean showed Castiel how to cook bacon. It was an essential life skill, in Dean's book, and Castiel seemed happy to learn.

"Some people just cook it until it's done, and some of us like it crispy," he explained, watching as Castiel watched the meat sizzle in the pan.

"Which do you prefer?" Castiel peered up at him with those too blue eyes and Dean grinned.

"It really depends on how much I had to drink the night before."

Castiel just rolled his eyes, so Dean continued his explanation.

"Normally I like it pretty crispy, but sometimes the floppy stuff is better when you're getting over a hangover." He pulled one of the pieces out and let it flop around on the fork.

Castiel's eyebrows knitted and his mouth turned down, but he didn't comment.

Dean moved to flip the pieces over to the uncooked side. "You've really never had bacon?"

Castiel's eyes locked onto the meat as if he were trying to memorize every part of the process. It was cute as hell. "No. We never had much meat at the farmhouse. I've tried a few things, but we never saw the necessity of buying food when we made our own food already."

"I guess that makes sense. I know the wolf craves meat, but the human side doesn't necessarily need it." Dean rolled his eyes, thinking of all the times Sam had used the same argument in an effort to get him to eat more vegetables. "Sam eats enough veggies for the both of us. Sheep probably crave the green stuff, and with no meat handy it makes sense that you wouldn't bother to get any."

Castiel nodded and watched as Dean scooped the bacon out of the pan.

"Do you want to try a slice of this?" He didn't want to pressure Castiel. He didn't care if his mate was a vegetarian, but he just kind of felt bad eating bacon while someone else watched. It was bacon.

"I would like to try it. There is a lot of meat in the house. I should probably try some of it and see if I like it."

Dean beamed, handing him one of the strips of meat.

Castiel looked determined as he took the slice, glaring at it seriously before taking a bite off the end. The crisp sound of the hardened meat made Dean reach for his own piece.

Castiel looked contemplative for a moment as he chewed, and Dean was just beginning to get his hopes up when Castiel's eyebrows drew together and his mouth turned down.

"No, I don't think I care much for that," he stated, pushing the bacon back into Dean's free hand.

Dean didn't have very high hopes of his mate liking meat anymore. If bacon didn't pass the test, nothing would. Instead of voicing his thoughts aloud, he just gestured toward the vegetables that Castiel had picked out.

"You can munch on some of this stuff until Sam gets back. It's probably better to do this on a full stomach."

  
  


When Sam returned it was with good news. Or at least what he tried to sell them as good news. John's docket for the day was surprisingly empty, and he'd be able to see them immediately if they were ready.

"How you feeling, Cas? You ready to do this thing?"

Castiel looked down at himself before meeting his eyes. "I'm not really sure what else I can do to prepare, so I suppose so, yes."

Dean sent him what he hoped was a supportive smile, and then pulled Castiel into his arms. He pressed his nose into the sheep's hair, taking a deep steadying breath.

The scent of his mate was like a drug. He couldn't get over how quickly and effectively it could calm him. He'd heard about it before, of course, but it was certainly something else to be able to experience it for himself.

"Don't worry about anything he says, okay?" he half whispered into his mate's ear. "Dad has a bit of a short fuse, and a tendency to say things he doesn't mean. We'll give him a few days to think about it, then we'll talk to him again."

Castiel tensed a little in his arms. "You think he's going to deny our mating?"

"I don't know what he's going to do. I just want you to know that no matter what, it's still you and me."

Castiel made a sound of agreement and moved out of the embrace. "I understand."

Dean knew the smile on his face was sappy, and Sam would probably make fun of him for weeks. "Forever, right?"

"Yes." Castiel smiled back at him.

Sam cleared his throat beside them, drawing their attention away from each other.

"Let's head out, then." He said, leading them out the door. He made a turn toward the center of their little hamlet, and Dean and Castiel followed him obediently.

Dean reached over to link his fingers through Castiel's. They would face this challenge as a team.

When they made it to The Hall, they crossed straight into their father's workspace.

John was seated behind the Alpha’s desk, glaring at some apparently offensive paperwork. When they stepped into his office his attention was immediately drawn to them, and his eyes narrowed.

"Hey, Dad." Dean greeted, dragging Castiel into place beside him.

"Who's this?" John's voice was already suspicious, which didn't bode well for the rest of this conversation.

"This is Castiel," Dean informed his father, trying to keep his head up and his tone even. After all the years he'd spent fighting the urge to bow to his father's wishes, he still had a hard time keeping his head raised in John's presence. He knew it was instinctual, but he also knew he was expected to overcome it if he was going to be pack alpha one day. Although he didn't know if that would even be an option anymore after his father learned about his mating.

Castiel gave John a polite and respectful bow, but his eyes never dropped to the ground like a proper omega would have. Dean thought he should probably be afraid of his father's reaction to Castiel's— unintended— lack of proper decorum, but instead, he found himself proud.

Castiel was his mate. His mate wasn't cowed by big bad alphas, no matter how intimidating they might be.

"Hello, Castiel." John greeted, his voice gruff, but not yet angry.

"Castiel, this is my father, John." Dean offered when it became clear his father had no intention of introducing himself. "He's the pack alpha." 

Dean didn't know if his mate knew what that meant. He probably should have made it clear, or at least asked Castiel if he'd read anything about pack hierarchy in all those books he'd been devouring. There were very few pack members that referred to him as anything other than alpha, and two of that number were only allowed to because they'd been born into it. Even the pack alpha didn't expect his children to call him anything other than dad.

"And why is it that you brought a sheep into the forest, Dean?" John's voice was inquiring, but his eyes never strayed from Castiel— possibly because Dean hadn't warned his mate that eye contact could be seen as a challenge, and Castiel's eyes hadn't dropped once.

Dean was honestly shocked at the question. There was no way his father could smell Castiel from the distance where they stood, and unless Sam had spilled the beans— and Dean knew he hadn't— there should have been no way for his father to know.

"Castiel has come to the forest to live with us," Dean answered, cautiously. If John knew that Castiel was a sheep, there was no telling how much else he knew. Had he known about Dean leaving the forest to seduce the sheep? Did he already know about the mating bond?

"Has he, now?" John finally turned his attention back to Dean and raised an eyebrow in consideration. "And why would he leave the safety of the pasture to move to a forest filled with wolves?"

The question didn't really give Dean much to work with. It sounded curious, but he worried that John was leading him. It was good that he was there to confess everything, anyway. He didn't have to try to talk around the question because he had no intention of hiding the bond from John.

Dean raised his head a little higher, realizing that in his fear of his father's reaction he'd let it drop a bit. "Castiel and I are mated."

John's reaction was sudden and instantaneous. His eyebrows drew together and his mouth dropped into a hard scowl. Even his usual steadfast control on his scent wavered and turned sour. "What did you just say?" He asked the growl clear in his voice.

Apparently, John hadn't known that much, after all.

"Castiel will be moving into my den." Dean continued, forcing himself to maintain eye contact. "As my mate."

John scoffed, disbelieving "You expect me to allow that?"

Dean could feel his blood boil at his father's tone. It wasn't John's decision who Dean chose to mate. It was probably just the bonding hormones, but it took him a moment to calm them again. "It's too late, dad. It's already done." 

Castiel had barely moved during the confrontation, and Dean hoped that it wasn't out of fear. He couldn't scent his mate with the overpowering stench of alpha in the room, but he hoped Castiel knew he would never let anything happen to him. 

Dean knew that Sam wouldn't let anything happen to his mate, either— even if it meant defending him from their own father. The way he saw it, John was the one that was outnumbered here, not Castiel.

He offered his mate a small smile and mouthed a ‘sorry' to him as he turned from his father. He pulled the collar of Castiel's shirt aside to reveal the mating bite he'd given him.

John growled at the sight, rising from his chair and stalking toward them quickly. His scent exploded around them, sharp and spicy, his displeasure apparent. Before he could reach them, Dean moved to face down his father directly.

Although Sam had been a silent observer so far, he moved to Dean's side. They were a united front, side by side, between Castiel and their very angry father.

John stopped short to look between the two of them, seemingly taken aback by the show of support from Sam.

"Do you honestly believe this is the right choice for the pack?" John asked them, the dangerous growl still in his voice.

Dean didn't know if the question was directed at him or Sam, but he answered it anyway. "I believe that this is the right choice for me. If the pack doesn't like it, you have another alpha son."

The shocked expression Sam turned on him showed that he hadn't been thinking of the possibility that the pack would reject Dean's claim as alpha when they found out he'd mated someone so unexpected.

John's reaction was even more extreme than Sam's, and he reared back as if he'd been struck. His scent spiked with unease, and something akin to sadness. It made Dean's nose twitch. 

"You'll just hand over pack rights." Apparently, the surprise of Dean's announcement had somehow managed to knock some of the anger out of his father. John seemed shocked and appalled, but also strangely curious.

"Yes," Dean answered simply because it was a simple answer. He knew he'd be alright following Sam's lead if that's what it came to.

"For this sheep." John's questions sounded more like statements, but Dean knew he was expected to answer them. He raised his head and pulled his shoulders back. This was something he was willing to fight his father on.

"I can't think of a better reason to give up my birthright."

John didn't rise to the challenge at all. He seemed honestly baffled at the idea that Dean would be so willing to give up everything. He did raise his nose, though, and it took Dean too long to figure out he was scenting the air. "The bond isn't complete." 

Dean didn't know how he could smell that, but it was the truth. There was no point in denying it.

"You'll give up everything for a bond that might not even work?"

"It will work." Dean's response held a growl and he did his best to keep it reigned. It was only his wolf's irritation with the incomplete bond.

"What makes you so sure?"

Dean sighed. He knew no one else understood the pull he felt toward Castiel. Even Sam had found it difficult to accept. Dean just knew that Castiel was his mate, but there was no way to really explain it. "Because he's my mate, dad."

John gave him another look of utter disbelief before he began pacing in the small space afforded him where they were standing. Dean knew John was consciously muting his scent and couldn't help but worry what his father was hiding.

"You expect me to accept him into the pack." Once again, the question in the form of a statement.

"I do."

John stopped pacing to face him again. "And what will you do if I refuse?"

Dean shrugged. He hadn't really thought that far ahead to be honest. "Then I guess Cas and I will have to find somewhere else to live."

There was a quick intake of breath from behind him, and he knew that Castiel wanted very much to protest the idea of Dean leaving his family in order to be with him. The worry in Castiel's scent permeated the air, and it stirred Dean's wolf more than the aggression of earlier had. He reached his hand back for one of Castiel's and gave it a little squeeze. Dean didn't want him to think his concern was being ignored, but now was not the time to interject. They could talk about this later if it came to it.

John looked at them all as if he were working out an incredibly intricate puzzle. As if the pieces were fitting together, but he was baffled at how it was possible.

"There won't be a mating ceremony." He said, eventually, "I will accept him into the pack so you won't have to leave, but the ceremony is for mates— and you are not mates."

Dean had to hold back a growl again. It was technically true. The bond was still trying to form and the longer it took, the more everyone would doubt it would ever work. But the bond didn't make them mates. Their love for each other made them mates. And if the pack refused to accept them it wouldn't change anything.

"Fine," he managed, trying to keep his tone even and mostly succeeding. 

John gave them a curt nod. "Good. It's settled. Now get out of my office. I have work to do."

Dean knew better than to argue. He needed to let John get used to the idea before he pressed. Things had turned out better than expected, anyway.

So, Dean just bowed his head in respect— watching Sam do the same in the corner of his eye— and tugged Castiel back out of the room.

As soon as they exited The Hall he let out an explosive breath.

"That went well!" Dean said mock cheerfully and received twin looks of disbelief from companions.

  
  


Charlie was Dean's best friend, and he couldn't wait to introduce Castiel to her. She would probably be a combination of excited and horrified which should be pretty entertaining, too.

Sam headed back to his own home since he was no longer needed for support— or restraint— while Dean and Castiel ventured out to find her.

"I really think you're going to like Charlie," Dean said, grinning at his mate.

Castiel's smile looked more like a grimace. "This is your best friend?"

It took Dean a moment to realize why that might make Castiel uncomfortable. "Don't worry, Cas. She's going to love you!"

The dubious look didn't leave the sheep's face, but Dean knew it was momentary. Charlie was like his own personal ball of positivity and happiness, and he had no doubt that she would be able to have the same effect on Castiel.

They found Charlie in her usual place in the clearing. She had adapted to living in the forest well enough, but she still seemed most comfortable here where a bit of grass had managed to grow. Dean lead Castiel right up to where she was splayed in the patch with her eyes closed.

"You taking a nap out here?" Dean asked in amusement. She had her own den to sleep in, after all.

"No. I'm just soaking in the rays." She didn't even move.

"Well, you want to get up?"

She finally deigned to open one of her eyes to glare at him, but when she spotted Castiel beside him her other eye popped open in surprise.

"Is that who I think it is?" she asked, excitedly, jumping to her feet. Her eyes locked on Castiel as if he were the only person in the world.

Dean grinned at her excitement. "Charlie, this is Castiel."

Her bright hazel eyes snapped to Dean only long enough to utter, "Wow."

Dean sent Castiel a reassuring smile. "Cas this is Charlie." 

Castiel nodded at her with a formal, "It's so nice to meet you."

Of course, the formality was lost on Charlie and she bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. "Forget about me! Are you really Castiel?"

Castiel's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Yes."

"Oh my god." Her eyes shined with her enthusiasm when she turned back to face Dean. "Does that mean you really did it?"

"Yeah."

Charlie landed a punch to his arm, and Dean pretended that it didn't hurt. Her fists were tiny, but even toothpicks caused pain. "Dean, you mated a sheep!"

"I know." He couldn't hold back his grin.

Charlie looked between them in disbelief. "Just… wow. I really didn't think you would do it."

"I told you I was going to."

"Yeah, but I just didn't think you would!" she defended. She looked at them a little more before she asked, "What are you going to tell the alpha?"

"I told him that Castiel and I are mated, and he didn't have to like it. And I asked him to accept Cas into the pack."

Charlie's eyes nearly popped out of her head at that. "Holy shit! You already talked to him? What did he say?"

"He agreed to let Cas in," Dean told her trying to keep the bitterness from his voice as he continued, "but only because I threatened to leave the forest."

Charlie gave him a sad little smile. "Give him some time to cool off. He'll come around."

Dean nodded. "I know. That's the plan."

Charlie hummed and turned her attention toward Castiel. "So you're the sheep that stole my little Dean's heart."

Castiel didn't seem to have a response to that. He just stood still as Charlie surveyed him. She even started a slow pace around him. Looking at him from all angles.

"Charlie," Dean growled protectively.

Charlie put her hands up, placatingly, but didn't stop her examination. "I'm just looking, Dean. I've had to imagine him in my head for months."

Luckily, Castiel seemed less intimidated and more curious about her. "You're not a wolf," he said when she'd finished her circuit.

"Nope." Charlie grinned at him, flashing her teeth.

Castiel's brows knitted together. "You still smell of predator."

"I am. I'm a fox."

"Yet you live with the wolves?"

"I was adopted. This pack doesn't just take in wolves that need a pack. Some of us were taken in despite our animals. You'll understand better soon enough."

She looked at him contemplatively for a moment. "Although, you'll be our first non-predator."

Dean was grateful she hadn't called him prey. It was bad enough that Castiel was going to have to adjust to being constantly surrounded by predators without them using outdated labels that basically called him food.

Castiel's attention turned to Dean as he asked, "Perhaps that's why your father was able to accept me into the pack so easily?"

Dean spent too long thinking of an answer, so Charlie took over. "The alpha has a much meaner bark than he does a bite."

Castiel's head tilted as he worked that out. "I don't understand that reference."

Charlie grinned, and Dean knew he wasn't going to like what she said. "It means he talks like he's a big bad alpha that rules us with an iron fist, but he's honestly kind of a pushover."

Dean cringed. "Don't ever say that in front of him."

  
  


The day had been about as awful as Dean thought it would be. And as much as he hated to admit it, Sam had been right to save introducing Charlie until after the meeting with John. At least they'd been able to end it on a higher note.

As soon as they made it through the door of their den, they both collapsed onto the couch.

"That was hell," Dean said, not thinking.

Castiel visibly flinched beside him, and he immediately rushed to clarify. "Not you, Cas. You were perfect. It's just been a stressful day. I can't believe my dad was being such a dick about this."

Although the conversation with John hadn't gone all that badly, Dean was still a bit upset about the insinuation that their mating bond wasn't real. Once Castiel's sheep got used to the idea of bonding, Dean knew it would be completed. It would just take a little more time than was usual, that's all.

Castiel loosened a little, and Dean leaned right up against him to offer some additional support. And if he was using his mate's scent to help keep himself calm, well that was just a bonus.

"What is a mating ceremony?" Castiel asked after a moment of peace.

"You didn't read about that in all your books?" Dean was only half teasing. It seemed like Castiel had read so much he already knew everything there was to know about wolf culture.

"No. I don't believe it was mentioned."

Dean nodded. That made sense to him. "Yeah. A lot of those books are really old, and the mating ceremony is kind of a new thing. We didn't start doing that stuff until after we started living in bigger packs."

Castiel shifted beside him, so their eyes could meet.

"It used to be, when an alpha came of age, they would go off into the world and find their mate. Then the two would make their own pack. Nowadays, we don't have to do that. We stay with our pack instead of trying to build our own. I think people just wanted a way to show that the alpha had chosen a mate and intended to start a pack, like the old days. So, when a couple is mated, the pack celebrates with a ceremony where the pack alpha blesses the union, and the pack agrees to accept the new addition." Dean explained.

His brows furrowed together as he thought through that statement, though. "Although these days people end up mated to members of the same pack, more often than not. No need for the pack to accept your mating if your mate is already a part of the pack."

Castiel looked thoughtful, tilting his head to the side as he did. "So it's like a wedding?"

Dean had heard about weddings before, of course. It was how most people in the city showed their intention to stay with someone for the long haul. Dean had always thought that it was other cultures stealing the idea of a mating ceremony from the wolves, but he didn't say as much.

"Yeah, I guess. It's kind of like a wedding."

"That sounds nice," Castiel commented, and it made Dean realize what an idiot he'd been. Castiel had been calling what they had a marriage long enough that he should have clued in much sooner. Castiel wanted that. Mating may have meant everything to the wolf, but for a sheep that never had the option of forever, a wedding probably sounded pretty fantastic.

Dean held in the growl of his wolf at the thought of once again disappointing his mate. John was going to give them a ceremony whether he liked it or not. Even though Dean was happy living with his mate and ignoring the world if he had to, he would fight for that if it was what Castiel wanted.

"It will be nice, Cas." He stated firmly.

Castiel turned to him, surprised. "But your father said he wasn't going to give us one."

Yeah, John may have denied them their mating ceremony, but he'd made one fatal mistake in his wording.

"He said he wouldn't because we aren't really mated. Once the mating bond is complete, he won't have a leg to stand on if I ask that we be given a ceremony."

"You don't have to do that." Castiel insisted, and Dean wondered if this peacemaking side to his mate was the result of his upbringing or the generally docile nature of the sheep.

"Of course I do. We deserve the same rights as everyone else in this pack."

Castiel's expression turned to worry at Dean's words. "What if the bond never completes?"

"I told you not to worry about that. I know what I'm doing, and I know that you're my mate." Dean pressed a kiss to Castiel's forehead. He knew there was no way to explain the certainty he felt that the bond would take, and he knew no matter what he said Castiel would continue to worry until the bond was complete.

Castiel offered him a grateful smile. "I'm sorry it's taking so long, then."

"It's alright, Cas. You're worth waiting for."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said, I'm trying to leave these endings as final as possible with this being a multi-part fic. So the next chapter will still be a continuation, but I don't want to leave you hanging if I don't get to the next part too quickly. I hope you enjoyed the fluff!  
> Also, this whole thing is mostly fluff, so sorry if you guys were upset at mostly nice John. He will continue to be that way. I know there's a lot of fandom hate, but I have no intention of writing him as a total dick. Fair warning.

**Author's Note:**

> Castiel Winchester. It has a nice ring to it :D  
> Let me know what you all think!  
> Since all these chapters are supposed to be part of a whole, I'm going to try not to leave off any cliffhangers. That torture is for my slow burn peeps ^_^


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